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Meetings & Event PlannersSupport ServicesAudio / VisualThe group hotels maintain on-site A/V specialists able to provide the necessary equipment, setup and staffing. Your Convention Service Manager can assist with your specific needs. In addition, the following A/V companies are located on Nassau / Paradise Island:
Bahamahost / Bahamas Training CollegeBahamahost, a self-improvement training program introduced by the Ministry of Tourism to upgrade the quality of service in the Bahamian tourism industry, has trained more than 18,000 people, including public service drivers, hotel and restaurant employees, salespersons, government employees and straw vendors. The Bahamas Hotel Training College, established to meet the demands of the growing tourism industry in The Islands Of The Bahamas, is accredited by the Commission of Occupational Education. Graduates now working in every hotel on Nassau / Paradise Island hold diplomas in hospitality and catering operations, culinary arts, apprentice chef, bookkeeping and front office skills, culinary skills and housekeeping skills. Destination Management CompaniesAs an international venue, Nassau / Paradise Island is home to a number of destination management companies that can help you in planning and executing entertainment, sightseeing tours and memorable celebrations that make the most of our locations, culture and heritage. With the renaissance of the destination, meeting planners will find a new willingness to promote the destination – and to deliver on the promise of a whole new range of options. The DMCs include:Sunbound / Bahamas Fantasies2734 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Contact: Gregory Kurdian Victorine Bannister in Nassau (242) 363-1292 Cacique International LimitedThe Cacique International Ltd. Group of Companies Contacts: Lio Mograbi-International Director of Sales & Marketing Creative Services3213 N. Ocean Blvd. Contact: Kelly Stratton Freight ShippingThe Bahamas Ministry of Tourism also has a Groups Department to answer any questions and address any concerns meeting/incentive planners may have. Call (242) 302-2073 and ask for Ingrid Bartlett. Step 1A complete, itemized list of all goods you wish to temporarily import into Nassau / Paradise Island must be forwarded at least three weeks prior to the actual shipping date. This list should be directed to the Director of Catering & Convention Services or your group’s Catering & Convention Services contact at the hotel. The actual shipping should take place at least two weeks prior to the official conference dates – no later. The hotels and the brokerage company will not be held responsible if goods are not shipped within the specified time period.
Each container /box should be labeled with your name, your hotel contact, hotel address and phone number. Step 2Once the hotel receives your list, the Convention Services contact will address a letter of request to the Bahamas Customs Department seeking their permission pursuant to the Convention Laws of the Bahamas to allow your goods to be temporarily imported into the country free of charge. Consumable items such as food and beverage are subject to duty. There is also a 3% Stamp Tax based on the declared value of the goods, applied to all shipments into the country. Step 3As soon as the hotel received approval from the Bahamas Customs Department (usually two working days) the approval letter is forwarded to a brokerage firm who will act as an agent for your group and the hotel, working out all document details for release of your goods from Bahamas Customs. It then becomes the responsibility of the Broker to deliver your goods from Port of Entry to the hotel. The charges for this service (which vary, staring at $200) are billed to the hotel and posted to your group Master Account. The hotel will store your shipment at the hotel until your arrival on the property. It is possible that the Customs Department may request a binding agreement (bond) on your shipped goods. If this becomes necessary, the hotel will generally post a temporary bond. You will be responsible for any charges with regard to the bond. Return ShippingThe hotel will arrange for return shipment of your goods, after the group’s departure. Goods to be sent as air freight from Nassau / Paradise Island should be taken to Nassau International Airport for handling by the airline which will transport them to a forwarding agent. International goods begin exported require an export entry form. Courier ServicesFour major international courier companies serve NPI:
For large freight shipments out of Nassau, shipping agencies include:
Ground TransportationGround operators on Nassau / Paradise Island can arrange many different tours and experiences, including Nassau city and country tours, deep-sea fishing, scuba / snorkel diving, beach picnics, nightclub tours, cruises and garden / nature tours. Resources include: Bahamas Experience Tours & TransfersP.O. Box N-4846, Nassau, Bahamas Leisure Travel & ToursP.O. Box SS-19057, Nassau, Bahamas Majestic ToursP.O. Box N-1401, Hillside Manor / Cumberland Street, Nassau, Bahamas Tropical ToursP.O. Box N-448, Palmdale Ave. & Mackey St. Nassau, Bahamas Tax DeductibilityThe Islands of The Bahamas continues to increase its awareness as an ideal meetings and incentives destination. The Bahamas government signed the Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the United States that allows all meetings, conventions, and trade shows in The Bahamas to be tax deductible and treated as if held in North America, beginning January 1, 2006. The agreement supports The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) efforts in attracting business meetings and conventions. The BMOT makes it easy for meeting and incentive planners to organize events throughout The Bahamas. Tourism representatives can assist with site inspections at local facilities; arrange meetings with entertainment specialists, tour operators and ground transportation; organize pre- and post- tours; create cultural events and develop leisure itineraries, among many other services. TelecommunicationsTelecommunications services and facilities in Nassau / Paradise Island are on par with the U.S. and Canada. A 100% digital switching system allows direct distance dialing to more than 100 countries. The Batelco utility has authority over a wide range of services, including telephone, fax, telex, cellular and radio phone networks, private line services, packet switching, satellite leasing and radio licensing. Others are entering the market. Many hotel guest rooms feature dataports to allow guests to use their laptop computers to check e-mail. Cell phone service is available but varies with type of equipment used. Cell phones can be rented for use during your stay on Nassau / Paradise Island, from the Business Center at Nassau International Airport. Prepaid phone cards are available from machines in some hotels, stores and downtown Nassau. TelevisionCable Bahamas offers Select VISION service, which delivers 20 channels of first-run movies and other programming to hotel rooms in Nassau / Paradise Island. The local television broadcaster is ZNS. InternetThere are three Internet access providers in The Island Of The Bahamas which allow visitors to access the Internet from their laptops. In addition many hotel rooms on Nassau / Paradise Island are equipped with dataports for easy modem connections. |